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Clinton To Head U.S. Delegation to East Timor

Aired May 07, 2002 - 12:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the middle of a long day of meetings in Washington. Later today he'll be at the White House. That's where Kelly Wallace is now monitoring on the front lawn what is expected in a key visit there with President Bush. Kelly, good afternoon.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon Bill. You know U.S. officials downplaying expectations a bit for this meeting, saying this meeting just one of several meetings President Bush and his advisers are having with Middle East leaders. But the meeting could be very crucial determining exactly what happens next in the Middle East.

The first big challenge for President Bush, convincing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that he's going to have to deal with Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat because Mr. Sharon is expected to come to the White House and say that future talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians should not include Yasser Arafat.

We saw Mr. Sharon yesterday, meeting with U.S. officials including Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. We know the Israelis have released a 100-page document, which they say shows that Yasser Arafat has been financing terror.

Now U.S. officials say they are reviewing that document but cannot make a judgment about it. U.S. officials say the president will say that while he still has not decided that Yasser Arafat has earned his trust, he does believe that Yasser Arafat is the recognized leader of the Palestinian people.

Now other items on the agenda for this, the fifth face-to-face meeting between President Bush and the Israeli leader include calling for Israeli troop withdrawal from the Palestinian territories. The Israelis recently reoccupied, discussing the idea of an international conference. The administration wanting to make this proposal a reality and hold this conference some time this summer, and again, discussing any links between Yasser Arafat and terrorist groups.

And Bill, one other big challenge really, Mr. Sharon is expected to come here with a peace plan of his own, calling for an interim agreement with the Palestinians but not touching those thorny issues such as borders, refugees and the status of Jerusalem. While Arab leaders, such as Jordan's, King Abdullah, who comes here tomorrow, very much wants to see this administration pushing for political negotiations now between the two sides over a major peace agreement. So again, a lot for this administration to negotiate through. The Israelis want to take it sort of step-by-step. The Arab leaders want to see much more right now -- Bill.

HEMMER: Critical meetings today. Kelly, on another front, a former president, Bill Clinton, will get a role overseas. What's happening there?

WALLACE: Yes, very interesting. U.S. officials telling CNN, my colleague, Senior White House Correspondent John King, that President Bush has invited the former president to lead the U.S. delegation to East Timor later this month. This will be the ceremony recognizing East Timor's independence from Indonesia. It's very significant, Bill. It's the first time this administration is reaching out to President Bush's predecessor. And we understand the invitation was extended by Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, to President Clinton and that Mr. Clinton has accepted. Again, he'll be leading a U.S. delegation including other former Clinton administration officials, including former U.N. ambassador Richard Holbrooke -- Bill.

HEMMER: Kelly, thanks. Kelly Wallace at the White House.

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